Roanoke

Rockville

Richard Bland College Master Plan

Location: Petersburg, VA

The central goal of the new campus master plan focuses on building community by transforming Richard Bland College of William & Mary’s physical space from a commuter campus to a residential, pedestrian-friendly campus. Academic, athletic and residential activity is concentrated in the southwest and northwest quadrants to create a feeling of condensed activity and energy. Pedestrian corridors connect the academic quad to the athletic and residential quadrant. A trail system loops the campus, intersecting with sensitively created storm water management areas to focus on the natural beauty of RBC’s and to encourage engagement with the delineated wetlands and the pecan groves.

The new campus master plan reorients the main entrance of campus turning off Halifax Road and progressing to the center of campus along a pecan-lined Carson Drive. The northwest quadrant of campus focuses on athletics and residence halls, increasing housing occupancy to 700 students by 2019 and providing significantly diverse recreational opportunities from zip lines and a field house to a new track for the enjoyment of all members of the campus community.

Academic buildings are clustered in the southwest quadrant of campus. The College’s six-year capital plan includes, as its key new academic facility, an Academic Innovation and Resource Center to house the nexus of technology and information including the library; information technology, including cyber security, computer modeling, simulation, gaming and logistics; the Center for Strategic Initiatives, including, among others, support for Main Street Virtual Learning and the Language Institute; and a home for the technical and creative arts, such as film production, videography, and art design.